"I can't believe today's finally coming," said Miakis, and Lyon couldn't help but chuckle at the tone of her voice which reminded her of the way Commander Ferid talked about Lymsleia's marriage. "Can you believe it, Lyon? My Queenie is becoming a real Queen,"she continued, head popping somewhere between piles of bright colored clothes and sashes.
The younger girl smiled again, shaking her head ever so slightly. Miakis always complained about the princess. Yet, it was hardest for her to watch her responsibility grew up. No one doubted she cared about her. Everyone knew how she actually felt that Lymsleia soon wouldn't need her anymore. Frey would take over her job. Helping Miakis tidy her uniform, Lyon took a second to stop and think. The same thought saddened her a little bit too, that she wouldn't be the Prince's bodyguard for any longer. Lymsleia's coronation will be held in two days, as well as the official banquet welcoming Frey as the new Commander of Queen's Knights.
"Time flies, Miakis. This is the best for Falena. We musn't place our feelings over the nation's good. Falena is looking forward the future." Between the princess and the prince, she did have hopeful expectations. Miakis nodded, continuing their works.
"Geez, she does have a lot of things,"she commented. They had been helping the princess move her personal belongings from her old room to the Queen's chamber, a job taken by Miakis mostly to clear her thought and by Lyon due to Miakis' plea that she needed a friend.
"Well, she is the princess."
Miakis was true, of course. Two hours and there were still a lot to sort through. For a moment she wondered how much work should be done by the maids, and decided she should be more respectful towards them later. Her train of thought was interrupted again when Miakis let out an excited squeal. When Lyon tried to see what was that about, Miakis was sitting on the floor examining a bedside drawer.
"What is it?"
"Look, Lyon! Do you remember these?"
She bent down to observe the drawer that Miakis was interested in, revealing stacks of colorful paper cranes. She was directly hit by surge of nostalgia and Miakis knew it. She grinned.
"It has been such a long time ago, hasn't it?"
Lyon admitted she never truly realize how much time has passed. She picked one fondly, examining the messy foldings. Despite obviously old and some colors had faded, it was apparent the owner took a good care of them.
"Remembering the good ol' days, eh?" Miakis jabbed her playfully, playing with another set of cranes.
"Ahh, you're blushing! How cute!"
"S-stop it, Miakis!"
There was a time where peace was taken for granted. There was a time where days seemed like eternity, where sky was as blue as the water of Feitas and leaves were sparkling golden. There was a time where names of noble households were nothing more but part of dinner table's merriment.
There was a time where Sun Palace's residents were used with daily troubles involving certain royal.
And high-pitched scream was the music of the day.
Ten-year old Freyjadour Falenas stormed into the room followed by his frantic nine-year old bodyguard, surprising the maids and even some guards. The young prince stood with the best pose he imitated from his father, trying to speak with utmost authority.
"I heard Lym's cries. What happened?" he demanded. Queen's Knight Apprentice Miakis ran towards him, pulling him into embrace with relief. "Thank Feitas you're here! She drives us mad!"
"Miakis, can you tell me what is going on?" Frey sighed. Miakis was far too mischievous to be his sister's bodyguard, and he could already sense the bad premonition. He had no idea why his father asked her to do that, even if she's the best of the apprentices. Miakis had wrecked some havoc ever since that arrangement was made.
She backed out a little, giving him a sheepish grin before failing miserably, guilt written all over her face.
"See, I was just...teasing her a li'l bit...I-I told her she's not going to be a good Queen 'cause she's such a spoiled crybaby, then she started crying. I mean, I didn't even lying. She IS a crybaby."
"Heaven's sake, Miakis. She's four. What do you expect?" He let out another sigh. If she kept this up then he would be insane trying to entertain her baby sister everytime Miakis put her into foul mood. She was a tough customer when she wanted to be. Meaning everytime. Even at age four, Lymsleia Falenas had known the fact that everyone of all ages was entitled to do her favour in a whim.
Miakis crossed her arms. "You weren't like that when you were four," she huffed.
"Fine. Let me deal with this." Miakis might be a proud sixteen but even Frey must admit she could be so childish dealing with Lymsleia.
"Lym, brother is here!" He announced, wiping her tears and smoothing her hair. She stopped crying, hiccuping several times before looking at him.
"B-br-brother?"
"Yes, Lym. At your service."
She launched herself to him, yelling with as much venom a four-year-old princess could muster,"I HATE MIAKIS!"
Miakis winced, excusing herself out of the room when the princess started to tell Frey her version of the story. She didn't hear much but she swore that included the mention of Feitas River, dungeon, crime against the throne and much, much more. She wondered how self conceited one could be.
Oh right, she was the princess.
And Miakis was the unfortunate bodyguard. How unfair. She had spoken with Ferid several times a day, asking him to change her duty. He pretended to be deaf. She shook her head in fury. If Ferid was going to keep it up any longer, she figured going back to the Dragon Cavalry and bugging Craig Laden to let her join might be worth it.
It took Frey ten more minutes to calm his sister successfully. Lyon was standing beside him all the time, not quite understanding the cacophony of emotions in the room, and why Miakis escaped. She observed everything with great interest, however, and nodding politely when the Prince signaled her to go out.
He brought Lym to his room, asking her to sit on his bed while he tried to find something on the desk. Finally, he pulled out a stack of colored paper.
"It's pretty," commented the little monarch. She smiled. Contented, Frey pulled one for himself and began to fold it.
"This is called origami. Aunt Haswar taught me how to fold a paper crane,"he explained. Lym was too busy making her own art: crumpled paper balls and snow. He felt sorry for the maid in charge of his room, but regardless he plopped himself on the bed.
"Want one, Lyon?" he offered. Lyon took a piece of paper, trying to imitate Frey's moves. He wasn't exactly nimble or talented, but he was so enthusiastic and after one minute proudly showed his crane. Lym liked the new toy.
"It's for you," he laughed. Lyon gave Frey her crane, messier than his due to her clunky imitation, yet the Prince grinned. "Come on, I have enough paper for us. Let's make some more."
When Miakis found them in the evening, the room was full of paper cranes, from Frey's bed all the way to the floor. The rest was covered in what seemed like confetti. Miakis didn't need to ask who did it.
"Aww, you do all the fun without me!" She whined, careful not to mention what happened that afternoon. Apparently Lym had forgotten the incident earlier that she didn't mind Miakis sitting beside her.
"You're folding paper cranes?" She raised her eyebrows. Who knows the Prince was into such thing?
"Yes, Aunt Haswar told me that if we make a thousand of them, our wishes would be fulfilled! I hope Lym will be a good Queen, Mother and Father to be always happy, and Lyon could smile more often!"
"Wait. You're confusing it with the magic lamp! It's one thousand cranes per wish, you greedy prince! B'sides, don't you have a wish for me too?" she teased.
"Huh? Is that so?"
"Of course! So whom you'll wish for?"
"Umm...that is..."
"It's kinda sad, don't you think? We've come all the way since then," said Lyon. She remembered how stoic she was and how the Prince tried so hard to teach her the joy of life.
They sat there in the silence for a while, almost like they were in a trance. Of all those lost years and dusty memories, what were left were a thousand paper cranes, sparkling under the afternoon sun. Apparently Lym poured glittery powder into the container.
Suddenly, the door swung open. "Miakis! Lyon! What are you doing? You've been here for hours!"
"Nothing, Princess. We'd be done shortly." Lyon bowed at the princess, noticing she had traded her usual green-red robe to a golden one, more suited for a would-be Queen.
Miakis closed the drawer, picking up the clothes she dropped and stood to welcome the newcomer.
"Yeah. You have too many junk, Queenie."
She winked, waiting for the inevitable.
Miakis loved how she was able to master the Princess' thoughts over the years, and how she could push the button to enjoy the result. Lym's cheeks would be red, slightly swollen when she was mad. Then she would wave her hand hysterically in a move Miakis dubbed 'flying chicken'. All, all too predictable.
"I heard that! Miakis, you're going to regret this!"
Lyon laughed at the familiar routine. The castle was back to normal days. Time might be changing, but she wished they could have the golden days once more, that the prince and the princess would not have to worry so much. That some things would never change. She briefly wondered how long such times would last. Taking another glance at the cranes, she walked away. The door closed with a click.